I was looking at this http://www.heliartist.com/showroom/4...061q5al3kn0983 but at 380grams, its half the weight of the helicopter again. Im guessing you will be flying on 5 degrees or more pitch just to hover at that point. But I really dont have any idea. Im sure the thin plastic fuselages are much easier on the heli, but they probably dont look nearly as nice? I guess I'll have to think about it...

Lots of scale 450's out there they fly no problem. Quite a few blade 400 around with scale fuselages. I have a trex clone with the HeliArtist A109 with retracts and 4 blade rotor flys great if flown as scale and not trying to do crazy things check out the scale threads here http://www.rcgroups.com/scale-helicopters-43/

So a couple of days ago I came in really low with my blade 450 and a tall weed caught the left skid and flipped it onto its side. Luckily, I had the CF blades so no harm done. But my feathering shaft was bent way out of proportion. So after watching the videos from MikelG, I was able to replace it with out any worries. But I soon realized my flybar was bent in almost an S curve. (this was after I had to replace the feathering shaft.) Now this is where the trouble begins. I went to my LHS and got a new flybar, but little did I realize how hard it was to replace. As stated in the previous section, it is a to replace. The flybar weights were literally glued to the flybar itself, and the flybar was so bent it wouldn't fit through the main head. After removing all the Allen screws, I had to make the flybar somewhat straight, and use a hammer to pound off the weights. Oh, and the thread lock was "fun" to deal with also. The best advice I can give to all you "newbies" (no offense) is... TRY NO TO CRASH! Either that, or go flybarless, my other helis are going to be converted to FBL as well. Just listen to me, you won't want to be replacing those parts soon. So if you are a beginner, I fully recommend the blade mCP X as your first CP heli. Get to a level where you aren't crashing.

So I have been looking for a different canopy for my Blade 450, and I think I found a really cool one.

I realize this is a little off topic, again, but does anybody have any good experience with Fusuno? Or better yet, does anybody have this canopy?

As for the scale fuselages, I think I will pass. I know a few guys that fly scale, but it is too boring for me. But hey, that is my opinion. It's kind of the reason I bought a blade 450 3D. I would be interested for an airwolf fuselage though, make that into some of my "trash" helis.

Try using a soldering iron of decent wattage (i.e. HOT) to loosen up stuck metal parts. It will soften lock-tite or whatever it is they use. As for the flybar, sometimes you just have to cut it off close to the hub/cage and dress up the end with some sanding or a Dremel wheel. Makes it much easier to pull through.

As for those carbon fiber blades, I'd be wary of flying with them after a crash that was hard enough to bend the feathering spindle. That was a hard hit. Maybe it's just me, but I don't trust ANY blades (main or tail) if they kiss the ground.

As for those carbon fiber blades, I'd be wary of flying with them after a crash that was hard enough to bend the feathering spindle. That was a hard hit. Maybe it's just me, but I don't trust ANY blades (main or tail) if they kiss the ground.

Well, I guess I exaggerated some, the feathering shaft only bent about 15 degrees, and there were no marks or scuffs in the blades. As I said earlier, I was flying over tall grass/weeds, so there was some cushion. This whole crash happened about a week ago, and I have been flying 3D like crazy, so all is well. These blades are the 325mm CF Thunder Power blades, and I got them for 50% off at IRCHA. About 20 flights since the crash and it almost flies better than before! And it was more of a nos in crash, so the tail blades weren't damaged...but you can guess what happened to the canopy. Which is why I am looking for a new better one.

Well, I guess I exaggerated some, the feathering shaft only bent about 15 degrees, and there were no marks or scuffs in the blades. As I said earlier, I was flying over tall grass/weeds, so there was some cushion. This whole crash happened about a week ago, and I have been flying 3D like crazy, so all is well. These blades are the 325mm CF Thunder Power blades, and I got them for 50% off at IRCHA. About 20 flights since the crash and it almost flies better than before! And it was more of a nos in crash, so the tail blades weren't damaged...but you can guess what happened to the canopy. Which is why I am looking for a new better one.

Any comments or ideas on canopy option like in my previous post?

theexpertrcpilot

Man, I would have bought every last set of those TP blades at $20/pair, especially seeing how the stock woodies are $14/pair. I paid $40 for mine and I'd buy another set right now!

Man, I would have bought every last set of those TP blades at $20/pair, especially seeing how the stock woodies are $14/pair. I paid $40 for mine and I'd buy another set right now!

No clue on that canopy. Never even seen one in person.

Yeah that was the idea. The limit was two, so that's what I bought. The line was wrapped around the tent! Loaded up on some mCP X batteries also. Those were like 25% off. IRCHA is the best event ever to get cheap stuff! I even saw a trex 600efl 3GX for $790!!!! Next year I know to bring ALOT more cash!

So a couple of days ago I came in really low with my blade 450 and a tall weed caught the left skid and flipped it onto its side. Luckily, I had the CF blades so no harm done. But my feathering shaft was bent way out of proportion. So after watching the videos from MikelG, I was able to replace it with out any worries. But I soon realized my flybar was bent in almost an S curve. (this was after I had to replace the feathering shaft.) Now this is where the trouble begins. I went to my LHS and got a new flybar, but little did I realize how hard it was to replace. As stated in the previous section, it is a to replace. The flybar weights were literally glued to the flybar itself, and the flybar was so bent it wouldn't fit through the main head. After removing all the Allen screws, I had to make the flybar somewhat straight, and use a hammer to pound off the weights. Oh, and the thread lock was "fun" to deal with also. The best advice I can give to all you "newbies" (no offense) is... TRY NO TO CRASH! Either that, or go flybarless, my other helis are going to be converted to FBL as well. Just listen to me, you won't want to be replacing those parts soon. So if you are a beginner, I fully recommend the blade mCP X as your first CP heli. Get to a level where you aren't crashing.

So I have been looking for a different canopy for my Blade 450, and I think I found a really cool one.

I realize this is a little off topic, again, but does anybody have any good experience with Fusuno? Or better yet, does anybody have this canopy?

As for the scale fuselages, I think I will pass. I know a few guys that fly scale, but it is too boring for me. But hey, that is my opinion. It's kind of the reason I bought a blade 450 3D. I would be interested for an airwolf fuselage though, make that into some of my "trash" helis.

Happy flying, and have a great day...or night....

theexpertrcpilot

Expert, the flybar is not that hard to replace, once you figure it out. I take a long pair of needle nose with one tip against the weight and the other plier tip against the end of the flybar and squeeze gently at first. It will break loose the gobs of thread lock that they use and it will break free.

Then I straighten the flybar as much as possible next to the inner part where it goes into the plastic paddle control arm. Then I cut off the flybar about a half inch from where it goes in, on the straightest side of the flybar. Then sand any burs with emery cloth that were caused by cutting the bar with side cutters. When I sand I cover the chopper and especially the motor to avoid metal filings getting into the magnets.

Now simply push the old flybar out with the new flybar, and you dont lose the brass washers or anything. It works swell.

Dont ever try to push or pull the bent flybar out without cutting it. I tried that at first and I was fixin to break something I could tell.

It was a bugger untill I figured it out.

The only thing I have never found any info on is what angle to set the flybar paddles to? I just set them level to maybe 1 degree up and they seem to fly fine.

Now don't be kidding, this is serious business! JK! The 450 is a good copter for the middle of the road pilots like me. I do see how the more advanced peeps would want more machine tho. I would love to have a T-rex, but I would be so afraid of crashing it, I would probably shine and polish it and just sit and look at it, morning and night! Wish I would have had toys like this when I was teenager!

The head sure has to be with only two pushrods on the entire thing with each running up from the rotating star of the swashplate to each blade grip pitch change arm. Don't know about the setup, though...that looks like it could be a PITA to get right. But, my only experience with FBL is an mCP X and that thing is squirrely as hell. I'm sure that's because of it's size, though, and probably really can't make a good call on FBL. But, based on the mCP X, I don't like it.